The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

The: ii. Chapiter.

The texte.

For I woulde that ye knewe, howe great care that I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia, and for as many as haue not sene my person in the fleshe, that theyr her∣tes myght be comforted when they are knyt together in loue, and in al riches of full vn∣derstanding, for to knowe the misterie of God the father, and of Christe, in whome are hydde all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge.

ANd this muche haue I sayde, (ye Colossians) not to boste my self vnto you, but because I couete, y^• ye should knowe, howe carefull I am, and what ieopardies I put my selfe in, not only for suche, as I haue presently taught the gospell vnto, but for them also, whiche by syghte know me not, especial∣ly for you and the Laodicians, whom thoughe I neuer sawe with my bodely iyen, yet see I them cō¦tinuallye with the iyen of my hearte, glad of your encrease & furtheraunce, fearful it I espye your entiernes and godly con∣dicions either to be in ieoperdie or to be inconstant & wauer. Nor is it for my selfe so greatly anaylable, that suche as neuer sawe me, know what la∣bours & paynes I take for them, as it dothe auauntage them. For by my pensyfenes, by my ieopardies, and affliccions are they more pricked furth and enforced to consent and cleaue more together in godly charitie, lyke y^• members of one body knyt and surely mortised, wherby also menne more clearely perceyue and more certaynely beleue the bountifull goodnes of god the father toward all mankynde, yea toward al creatures, aboundāt∣ly flowyng abrode, by openyng nowe throughe Iesus Christe the secrete misterie, which hath hitherto bene hidden, whiche is, that besyde hym one∣ly we should desyre no worldly wysdome, be that neuer so great, which the wyse Philosophers promisen, or teachers of Moses lawe, or anye suche as boste that they by speakyng with aungels are taughte, forasmuche as in hym alone are contayned and hydden all the treasures of wysedome and fruytful knowledge. Of this fountayne maye we easly drawe, asmuche as is to perfite saluacion requyred.

The texte.

This I saye lesse any man should beguyle you with entising wordes. For thoughe I be absent in the fleshe, yet am I with you in the spirite, ioying and beholding youre or∣der, and your stedfast fayth in Christe.

These poyntes for this ende thought I it good to warne you of, be∣cause ye should with all diligence take hede, least any beyng instruct with worldly wysdome agaynst the playnes of Christes gospel, blynde and de∣ceyue you with false tales, beyng yet suche tales, as haue a colourable ap∣parence of trouth and lykelynes. For so are the wyse men of this world w^t cap••touse and subtile reasons of theyr inuencion wont to entangle simple people, of whiche sorte I know that some there are among you, watching how they maye corrupte your fayth.

For albeit I be absent from you, and see not presentlye, what is done there, yet am I in mynde among you present, with all my herte reioysyng to see the good order and condicion of your lyfe, and therwith the sound∣nes and strength of the sure confidence, whiche ye haue in Iesus Christe, to whome ye haue once wholy commytted your selues.

The texte.

As ye haue therfore receyued Christ Iesu the lord, euen so walkeye in hym, so that ye be roted and buylte in hym, and stablyshed through faythe, as ye haue learned: and therin be plenteous with geuyng thankes.

Nowe remayneth this, that ye vpon this good beginnyug continue and profit more and more, and as ye haue once receyued and beleued, that Iesus Christe our lorde is all goodnes, the head and welspring of our fe∣licitie: so set all your lyfe agree and consent with your fayth and professi∣on, prouiding alwayes that as ye are through baptisme graffed into him: that ye lyke wyse abide in hym and gather strength. And as the sure and strong foundacion of the doctrine of Christes gospell is once alredy layed in you: so labour ye to buylde vp ther vpon suche a worke, as is for suche a foundacion mete and conuenient. And take hede, that ye wauer not this waye or that waye, as euery blaste of newe doctrine moueth you, but stāde stedfast and stable in that ye haue once learned, and endeuour not only to stande stedfastly, but also to encrease euery daye from better to better, that your fayth and fruites of godly lyfe beyng dayly more and more augmen∣ted ye maye alwayes haue some newe thing to gyue god thankes for, whō ye must in dede thanke for all that is by you well done.

The texte.

Beware, lest any man sporle you through Philosophy and disceitfull vanitie, after the tradicion of men, and after the ordinaunces of the worlde, and not after Christe.

Suche as would bring you frō your simplicitie, watche busely, watche muste ye on the other syde lykewyse, least beyng as it were enchaunted with the royall and glyttering appacences of theyr Phylosophie, ye be ••rō your sound fayth altred and brought to the vayne deuties of men, and so become as it were a spoyle or praye for your aduersaries, as ye shall vn doubtedly be, if ye turne from the truth of the gospell and beled with the rules of mennes onlye makyng, whiche stande in suche thinges, as maye with our carnal eyes be sene, and in the grosse pointes of this world, wher as Christes doctrine is heauenly and spirituall, and teacheth the righte and trewe religion, whiche standeth in myndes, and not in meates and drinkes, nor in bodily apparell, no nor in keping of dayes, nor yet in was∣shyng of handes, whiche thynges to trewe religion make nothing. Suche pointes withdraw vs rather frō Christe, and deuide vs frō the welspring, from whence it were mete we sought for all grace and goodnes.

The texte.

For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely, and ye are complete in him: whiche is the head of all rule and power▪ by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes, for asmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ, in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also tysen agayne through fayth, y^• is wrought by the operacion of God, whiche raysed hym from death.

For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued, as oute of the ry∣uer a litle water runneth into the dyche, but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead, so that yf ye haue hym, ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conuey∣aunce of worldly wisdome. The trouth is playnly delyuered vs, as al ou•• sences beare recorde, no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull pro∣mises. Synce ye are once graffed in Christe, and framed into one bodye with hym, why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng? For since he lacketh nothyng, & would haue all his treasure cōmen to al men, through hym & in hym needes must ye be made complet, whither ye lacke wysdome or power. For as he is the welspring of wysedome, which can neuer be dry∣ed vp, so is he the heade of all power & rule. Nor is ther any power, no not of the hyghest order of Aungels (I say,) but that the same to hym boweth his knees. Iewes paraduēture endeuoure to bring you in minde, that it is a weightye matier, to haue you circumcised, as they be▪ as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour. But rather be in this persuaded, that whosoeuer haue Christ, en∣ioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision. And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofi∣table. They haue but the shadow of circumcision, ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe. For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth, that groce and carnall desyers, should be cut out of al theyr soules, which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges, vncircumcised needes must they be, whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more, which please their bealyes, whiche w^t enuy & malice pyne a way, which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse, & despayre of heauenly rewardes. But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised, not with that circumcisiō, which is done with mannes handes, but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision. Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye, but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn, and all corrupted with car∣nal lustes, & that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus. For as he dying forsoke his bodye, that was subiect to death, & rysyng againe receyued a body, whiche coulde not dye: so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead, castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe, and not only deade with hym, but also buried with hym. For whē synfull desyers are kylled, perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth. And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes, which were thral to sinne (whiche sinne is the very death of the soule) ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne, nor for your desertes, but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god, who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe, and that he also in you by his power worketh, that vpon free remissiō of all your sinnes through the death of his sōne, ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin, but through innocent & vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life, that shall neuer haue ende. Thākes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges, whiche he through his sōne gy∣ueth you. Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes, because they were circum∣cised, and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles, was no hinderaūce.

But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke, because ye wer who¦ly gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death, or ra∣ther because ye were without the grace of god, who is the lyfe of mannes soule, ye were spiritually deade.

The texte.

And ye when ye were dead through synne and through the vncircumcision of youre fleshe hathe he q••ickened with hym, and hath forgyuen vs all oure trespaces, and hath put out the hande wrytyng, that was agaynst vs, contayned in the lawe wryten, & that hathe he taken oute of the waye and hath fastened it to his crosse and hath spoyled ru∣le and power, and hath made a shewe of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne persone.

This kynde of vncircumcision, I saye, was to both sortes of vs comen, whiche god hath with his holy spirite cutte of and taken away forgeuing vs all oure synnes, and in suche sorte forgyuyng them, that we are oute •••• the ieopardie of hauyng the same offences any more hereafter to be layed vnto oure charge, because we haue aduisedly sworne to be obediēt to Mo∣ses lawe, for breache wherof oure aduersary the deuyll myght haue an ac∣tion agaynste vs, as agaynst men bounden by theyr owne hande wryting. yea the olde obligacion, by ryght wherof the deuyll sued vs, hath Christē rased oute, assone as we professed the fayth of his gospell, through whome the offences of our olde lyfe are forgyuen, so that the same are layed to no mannes charge. For whatsoeuer myght of vs by ryghte of this wrytyng be requyred, that same hath Christe for our sakes payed vpon the crosse, where the wrytyng was rente, torne, and vtterly cancelled. Nor haue we nowe anye cause to feare the tyrannye of Satan, synce Christe hath in the crosse by his death vanquyshed the authour of death, and thereby deliue∣red vs, triumphantly subduyng all the powers and rules of deuylles, ca∣rying vs into his heauenlye kyngdome, as thoughe we had bene a ryche price or botye. For then declared he them freely and playnly to be ouercō∣men and vnhar••ysed▪ when that in sight bothe of men and aungels, he ca∣ryed vs about as it were in a triumphe, shewyng that our enemyes were subdued and put to ••lyght, not by the ayde of aungels or men, but by his owne myghty power, what tyme he vpon the crosse hanged vp so royall a sygne of victorye, and that in suche a hyghe place, whereas euery manne might see it. Onely take hede to this poynt, that ye no more fall into youre olde synnes.

The texte.

Let no man therfore trouble youre conscience about meate and drynke or for a piece of an holy daye, or of the newe Moone, or of the sabboth dayes which are shadowes of thin∣ges to come: but the bodye is in Christ.

Feare not, least for disp••syng the ceremonies of Moses lawe any man condempne you, either for meate or drynke, be it cleane or vncleane, or for not puttyng a difference betwixt holye daye and workyng daye, or for not kepyng holy the feaste of the newe Moone, or for breakyng the reste of the Sabboth daye. For thiese obseruaunces were shadowes long before sig∣nifieng and rudely purtrahing such thynges, as shoulde afterwarde vn∣faynedly be exhibite by Christe. Wherfore synce we haue nowe the bodye selfe and since we haue the very trouth selfe openly shewed vnto vs, why should we any longer feare shadowes? Whoso cleaueth to Christe beyng now in heauen regardeth nothyng els but heauenly thinges, but walketh furth euen the ryght pathwaye to the rewarde of immortall lyfe.

The texte.

Let no man make you shote at a wrong marke by the humblenes and holynes of Aun∣gels in the thynges, whiche he neuer saw, beyng causeles puft vp with his fleshly mynd, and holdeth not the head, whereof all the body by ioyntes and couples receyueth nou∣ryshement, and is knyt together, and encreaseth with the encrasyng, that commeth frō god.

Beware therfore, lest any man by callyng you backe agayn to earth∣ly thynges fas••y and sleyghtly deceyue you of that reward, which ye haue already begon to labour for, in stede of heauenly doctrine, teachyng you small matters, and in stede of Christes true religion, a supersticious wor∣shyppyng of Aungels, and so auaunce and exalte hymselfe among the simple people of certayne fayned visions, beyng desyrous of worldly glo∣rye, teachyng the people suche thynges as learned by aungels, whiche he hath of his owne head by hymselfe forged and imagened, withoute sure truste in him, in comparison of whom it besemeth euery christian to despise al thynges, be they neuer so hygh, in the meane season so trustyng vpō his aungels, that he falleth from Christe his heauenly head, of whome depen∣deth the whole bodye of the churche, whiche is from it with all spirituall giftes deriued into euery member through the ioyntes and couplynges nouryshed and encreased vnto the hyghest perfeccion spiritual, that can be, and vnto suche perfeccion, as besemeth god to haue, to whome we are through Christ ioyned and coupled.

The texte.

Wherfore yf ye be dead with Christe from the ordinaunces of the worlde, why as though ye yet lyued in the worlde, are ye led with tradicions? Touche not, taste not, hā∣dle not, whiche all peryshe through the verye abuse, after the commaundementes and doctrines of men, whiche thynges outwardly haue the similitude of wisedome by super¦sticion and humblenes of mynde, and by hurtyng the bodye, & in that they do the fleshe no worshyp vnto the neede therof.

If Christe be to this visible and groce worlde dead, and lyue nowe in heauen, and if ye in your kynde of lyfe be lykewyse with hym deade to the vsuages of the worlde, hauyng an eye to nothyng, but to heauenlye thin∣ges, wherto maketh it to be subiect to mannes ordinaunces beyng suche, as prescrybe no suche thynges, as sauer of Christe, but are groce and car∣nall ordinaunces of y^e worlde, as though ye were not nowe deade to suche thinges, but styll lyued worldlye. Why gyue you eare to any Iew prescri¦byng suche thynges to be obserued accordyng to the carnall meanyng of Moses lawe? Touche not this carkas, it is not cleane, taste not this meat, it is not cleane, touche not this thing, it is holy, and may lawfully be tou∣ched of no secular person. So ready are ye to gyue eare vnto the tradiciōs and doctrine of men, whiche labour to bryng you in mynde, that in diffe∣rence of meates, in obseruyng of dayes, and in other Iewyshe rules god∣ly religion standeth, as though it so were, that Christes doctrine were not for you sufficient. Meate, drynke, or apparell bryng vs not into goddes fauour, but are for bodely nedes vsed, and with long longe abuse weare away, and are not the stedfast perfeccions of soules, which cannot be spēt▪ and yet suche as teache suche doctrine, amōg fooles and vnlearned pretēd a fayned colour of wysdome, and with how muche more supersticion, and faultie humilitie they fyl mēnes myndes, by so muche more are they made

of. For a plaine supersticion is it to make Angels equal with Christ. And a faultie humblenes it is through Angels to loke for that, whiche shuld of Christ him selfe be asked, or at y^• lestwyse through Christ of the father. Meates, drinkes, with suche other visible thinges are geuen, not to be compelled with hurt of our bodies to abstaine from them, but to the ende that with them our bodyes may be holpen, & with any kynde of apparel against wynde and wether to be mainteined and succoured, & be ••ed with any kynde of meates, and that in al tymes and places without any diffe∣rence, whansoeuer it be, & as muche as for the tyme shalbe thought nede∣ful. Iewes they been whose heartes are not yet circumcised frō the grosse and carnal meanyng of the lawe, whiche put suche differences.

Notes

• That theyr hertes might be comforted. &c.
• Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe. &c.
• And disceit∣full van, tie after the tra∣dicion of mē. &c.
• In him dwel¦leth all y^• ful∣nes of y^• god∣head bodelye. ••c.
• In whom ye are also r••sē a¦gain through fayth. ••••.
• And hath ••ut out the h••n••∣wry••ing ••••••t was aga••••••t vs &c
• Whiche are shadowes of thynges to come &c.
• In the thyn∣ges, which he neuer sawe.
• Touche not, taste not, hā∣dle not, whi∣che all▪ &c.